Speed reducer



` Aug. 18, 1942.

B. FOCJTE SPEED-REDUGER Filed Jan. l5, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l- 1920 ZI' a J2? www -YM Mig@ clusion hereof.

Patented Aug-18, 1942 y', i UNITED'. STATES vPATENT OFFICE j Bradford Foctemm remt, n1. Application January 15, 19,40, sex-lai No. 313,047

4 claims. (ci. 'x4-ses) 'I'he invention relates to speed-reducers.

One object of the invention is to provide a speedereducing unit of the type for oil-field work, which includes a driving or power in-put shaft,

a driven or out-put shaft, and an intermediate shaft, which are journaled in a case having integral walls, as contra-distinguished from ya i in the box to permit assembly-of the gearing, as

split casing between the sectionsof which the shafts are mounted, the shaft being endwise insertable in the casing and through gears in the Another object of the invention is to provide a multiple spline driving-connectionbetween a gear and the out-put shaft which is used to operate al crank used for shifting a beam and is subjected to uneven or pounding loads during each revolution, 'which connection permits periodical rotagearing will be impod on different groups of gear-teethvof the gear on said shaft to prevent localized wear of one group of those teeth which are engaged during the pounding moments. Another object of the invention is to simplify the construction of speed-reducers of this type by providing a unitary lbrake-'drum and drive-pulley on the in-put shaft for convenience in assembly and in mounting them at either side of the gearcase to the other for `operation from driving-belts at either side of the gear-case.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the detailed description.

The invention consists in the several novel .features which are hereinafter set forth and more particularly described by claims at the con- In the drawings: Fig. l isa plan of a vspeed reducer embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a section on line I-l of Fig. 3.

The speed-reducer exemplifying the invention `comprises agearcase or box which consists of a body-section having a bottom-wall III, end-walls hereinafter described. The upper portieriV of the side-walls I2 are reinforced by an integral .bridge I2". The lower margin of the gear-case is provided with flanges I2n having holes whereby the case may be secured by bolts to a common `base for the gear-case and the engine or motor usually used to drive the gearing in the case. The gear- `case is adapted to contain oil for lubricating the gearing. A filling-openingffor oil is provided in one of the end-walls `I I and is closed by a screwplug I4. A drain-plug I5 is provided in the same end-wall adjacent the bottom I0 to permit the oil to be drained from the gearing when an oilchange becomes necessary. The bottomdwall is slopedtoward the. plug It so all of the 'oil will drain through the drain-opening.

A power in-put shaft I'I extends across one endf of the gear-case and is journaled in rollerbearings Il which are carried in cylindrical openings I! which extend through the side-walls I2 of the gear-case. A cap 20 is removably secured by bolts 2l to the outer side of one of the sidewalls I2 of the gear-case to house and enclose they outer end of one of the bearings I8 and one end of shaft 11. The opposite end of shaft I1 extends through, and projects beyond, one side `vofv the gear-case. A :head 22 for housing the tiple V-belts from a motor or engine mounted longitudinally of' and adjacent the drive-pulley 2l and on the base on which the gear-case is.

mounted. In practice, it is sometimes necessary to drive the speed-reducer from belts operating on different sides of the gear-case. Upon removal of head 22 and cap 20, shaft I1 and its .bearings Il can be withdrawn endwise from the gearcase and inserted from the other side so that when the cap 20 and head 22 are interchanged or reversed in the sides of the gear-case, the beltpulley, 24 will be operatively mounted at the .I I.; and side-walls l2, integrally formed of cast UPPOBite- Side 0f the Bear-we from'tht Shown.

This exemplifies a transverse power in-put shaft which is removable from the case and endwise reversible therein so that the pulley 24 and shaft I1 may be driven from belting at either side of the gear-case.

` A pinion 26 consists of teeth cut directly on the shaft I1, and a gear 21 meshing with pinion 23 drives an intermediate transverse shaft 28 for one speed reduction. A pinion 29 cut directly on shaft 28 meshes with a gear 39 on a transverse out-put shaft 3|, and these provide a second speed reduction.

The ends of intermediate shaft 28 are journaled in roller-bearings 32, respectively. Each bearing 32 is mounted in a head 33 which fits in an opening formed in one of the side-Walls I2 of the case and is provided with a flange which is removably secured by bolts to the outer face of said side-wall. Heads 33 removably support bearings 32 and close the cylindrical openings in walls I2 through which shaft 28 and pinion 29 are endwise insertable and removable. Upon removal of the heads 33 the shaft 28 may be reversed endwise to bring gear 26 into meshing relation with pinion 29 when the in-put shaft I1 is reversed endwise. The cylindrical openings in the side-walls I2 in which heads 33 flt, .permit the endwise insertion of -pinion 29 and shaft 28 into the gear-case from either side. A spline 21a slidably fits into a mating groove in the gear 21 to permit shaft 28 to be inserted into, and separated from, said gear, while said gear is in the gear-case.

The out-put shaft 3| is journaled in rollerbearings 35 which are mounted in heads 36. Heads 36 t into and close openings 31 in the side-walls I2 of the gear-case and are provided with flanges which are removably secured to said walls by bolts 38. Caps 40 are secured toy the4 outer ends of heads 36 and are provided with packing 4| for preventing the escape of lubricant from bearings 35 from the case. Shaft 3| is removable endwise from either side of the gearcase when caps 49 are removed. Preferably shaft 3| projects from both sides of the gear-case to operate cranks 43 at both sides of the case or a single crank at eitlier side when the speedreducer is used for oil-field work.

In the use of the gear-reducer for operating beams used for oil-field work, shaft 3| is used to drive cranks 43 and the load exerted upon shaft 3| and gear 30 is irregular or not constant during each revolution of cranks 43. In some instances, the load exerts more or less pounding moments upon said shaft, which is transmitted to th gearing in the case. In order to prevent these pounding or intermittent load-moments from being continuously exerted on the same group of teeth in one arcuate portion of gear 30 until such group becomes excessively worn', provision is made` for rotatably adjusting the gear 39 relatively to the out-put shaft 3| so that, periodically, different groups of teeth or arcuate portions of gear 39 will receive the heavy load or pounding moments. For example, if the heavyload-stresses occur during part of the stroke of the crank 43, the gear-teeth of wheel.

39, which engage pinion 29 during the downstroke of the crank, will be subjected to the heavy'load or pounding stresses and the remaining teeth will be subjected to lesser loads. By rotatably adjusting the shaft 3| in gear 30,

vthe heavy load-stresses may be imposed on different groups of teeth on the gear 3|) and, in

-this way, the life of the gear may be greatly prolonged by imposing the heavy loads upon different groups of said teeth. For this purpose, an adjustable spline-connection is provided be- `tween shaft 3| and the hub of gear 39. This 35 and the ends of the hub of gear 30 and the splines 45. Upon removal of one or both of the caps 40 from the gear-case, shaft 3| can be removed endwise from the casing sumciently to disengage splines 45 on shaft 3| from the splines 46 on wheel 39. When these splines have been disengaged, the shaft can be given a partial rotation in wheel 39, so that different groups of gear-teeth in said wheel, will be subjected to the heavy loads. After such adjustment the shaft 3| can be reinserted into the hub of gear 30 and cap 49 replaced to hold the shaft in its operative position and against endwise movement. The sleeves 45 serve as simple means for positioning and retaining gear 30 and shaft 3| in operative position.

Gear 30 is also reversible in the gear-case when shaft 3| has been withdrawn from the casing and from the hub of said gear so that the teeth of the latter will be positioned to mesh with the pinion 29 in its reversed position, and shafts 28 and I1 are reversed to position the drive-pulley 24 at the opposite side of the case from that shown in Fig. 3. Sleeves 41 position the gear 30 in either of its positions in the gear-case.

In speed-reducers of this type, it is necessary to apply a brake to hold the beam operated by the cranks on shaft 3| when desired. A brakedrum 48 is integrally formed with, and projects inwardly from, the belt-pulley 24. Forming the brake-drum integral with the belt-wheel provides a simple construction which can be reversed together from one side of the case to the other. A brake-operating lever 49 is fulcrumed on a pin 50 and has connected thereto a band 5| which is adapted to frictionally en- Y gage drum 48 to brake thegearing. Lever 49 is operable by any suitable connection, such as a cable or link 53, which is connected to the free end of lever 49. The fulcrum-pin 50 is removably secured in any of the pivot-lugs 52 which are integrally formed with the gear-case. A lug 52 is providedadjacent-the bottom and anotherA at the top of the case and similar lugs are provided at both sides of the gear-case. 'I'his makes it possible to fulcrum the brake-lever to swing from its upper or lower end and also to position it at either side of thegear-case according to the side at which the brake-drum and beltpulley are mounted. The fulcrum-pin 50 can be secured in any of the lugs 52 by a set-screw 54.

In operation, the pulley 24 will be driven from a source of power to drive in-put shaft I1 and pinion 26. Said pinion will drive gear 21, shaft ascasoo case and withdrawn from gear 21 and then gear 21' willbe moved to the opposite side of the case where it will be in position to mesh with pinion 26. Upon replacement of caps u, shaft 2l will l be reversely positioned in the case so that gear 21 will mesh with pinion 26. Upon removal of the heads 96, shaft 2i can be withdrawn endwise from the case with one 'of the bearings 35 and from the other ,bearing I5.` Upon such removal,

one of the sleeves 4`| will be released so thatit can be withdrawn from one end of shaft 2i and the splines 45 will be withdrawn endwise from the splines 46 in the hubof the gear 30. Gear 30, to which access Acan be had, by removal of the cover-plate I3, can then be reversed to bring its gear-teeth into longitudinal alignment for engagement with pinion 29. Shaft :il is then replacedin the gear-case and bearings 35, the sleeves 41 serving to engage the splines 45, 46 to hold gear 30 in its reversed position and against endwise movement. After the speed-reducer has been operated for a period, and particularly when the load-stresses are uneven during each4 the motor or engine with respect to the other requirements in practice. During the operation of the speed-reducer. gears 21 and l0 will pass through `the bath of oil in the gear-case and lubricate the pinions and the bearings.

The invention exemplifies a speed-reducing unit which is particularly adapted to meet the varying requirements for oil-held use, although it will be understood that it is also usable in other industrial work.

`The inventionis not to be understood as restricted tothe details set forth. since these may be modified .within the scope of the appended.

claims, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In driving mechanism, the combination of a Sear-case-provided 'with integral sides and ends a and a bottom and a removable top, a bridge-bar revolution of the shaft 3|, the cap 40 and head i 36 at one side of the gear-casing will be removed' and the shaft 3l will be-moved through the open side of the case a suiiicient distance to disengage the splines 45 on said shaft from the splines 46 in the hub of gear `9i). The shaft will then be given a partial rotation and then replaced in gear 30 to bring the splines 46 and 45 into interiltting relation. The head 36 and cap 40, which have been removed from the case, will then be tween shaft 3I and the hub of gear 30 permits .this to be done so that the wear upon the teeth of the gear 30 will be distributed so that there will be a uniform, as contradistinguished from localized, wear.l In reducers of this type. localized Wear on the gears increases the effect of the pounding upon the gear-teeth and, by this adjustment, the life of the gears will be greatly prolonged. When the pulley 24 is reversed from vone side of the gear-case to the other, the brakelever 49, its fulcrum 50, and the brake-band 5i may be conjointly disconnected from the lug 56 at one side and connected to a lug at the other side. In practice, it is sometimes necessary to locate the operating connection 52 for the brakelever 49 at the top or the bottom of the gearcase. When the connection must be located at the top of the gear-case, the lever 49 will be fulcrumed into one of the lower lugs 52. When the connection 52 must be located adjacent the bottom of the gear-case, the llever will be fulcrumed in one of the upper lugs 52, as illustrated by dotted lines in Fig. 4. The provision of pivotlugs at the top and bottom of the case and at the opposite sides thereof. makes it possible to mount the lever 49 to meet the requirements of use in different places and according to the location of integral with, extending between, the side-walls adjacent their upper portions and spaced from the ends, a power in-put shaft, an out-put shaft, an intermediate shaft, all of said shafts extending transversely across' the case, said bar being ldisposed substantially above the intermediate shaft, removable means for rotatably supporting the shafts for endwise insertion in, and removal from, the case, speed-reducing gears between the in-put shaft and the intermediate shaft, and speed-reducing gears between the intermediate shaft and the out-put shaft.

2. In driving mechanism, the combination ofA a gear-case comprising a body having integral side, end and bottom-walls. speed-reducing gearing in the case comprising an output shaft extending transversely through the case and projecting outwardly from one side thereof and provided with means for the attachment of a driving crank, a spur gear around the shaft and in the case, the sides of the case being provided with openings entirely surrounded by integral portions of the side-walls, bearings for the output shaft removably supported in said openings by said side-walls, a continuous series of interchangeably interfitting splines on the output shaft and gear thereon, respectively, extending entirely through the hub of the gear, the splines on the shaft projecting outwardly of its-periphery and being endwise insertable and removable from either side of the gear to permit the output shaft and the gear thereon to be connected `for driving engagement in a series of different relatively rotative positions for changing the phase relation of the crank on the shaft and the teeth on thegear, means for holding the gear against'endwise movement on the shaft, the shaft and said means being endwise separable from the gear when one of the bearings is removed from the case.

3. In driving mechanism, the combination of a gear-case comprising a -body having integral side, end and bottom-walls, speed-reducing gearing in the case comprising an output shaft extending transversely through the case 'and prories of different relatively rotative positions forvarying the phase relation of the crank and teeth on the gear, sleeves extending between the splines on the shaft and the bearings for holdling the gear against endwise movement in the case, the shaft and sleeves being endwise separable from the gear when the bearings are removd from the case.

4. In driving mechanism, the combination of a gear-ease comprising a body having integral side, end and bottom-walls and a removable topwall, a power input shaft, an output shaft, an intermediate shaft extending through the case and projecting outwardly from one side thereof and provided with means for the attachment of a driving crank, the sides of the case being provided with openings entirely surrounded by integral portions of the side-walls,

transversely pinion integral with the input shaft, a pinion integral with theintermediate shaft, a gear splined to the intermediate shaft for endwise separation and engaging the pinion on the input shaft, a gear on the output shaft meshing with the pinion on the intermediate shaft, and a continuous series of interchangeably interiltting .splines between and for endwise separation of the output shaft and the gear thereon for varying the phaserelation of the crank and the teeth of the gear on the output shaft, the openings in the side-walls of the case for the bearings of the input and intermediate shafts being of sufficient diameter forthe endwise removal and insertion through either side of the case of the input and itnermediate shafts when the bear- Y ings are removed,the openings for the bearings 

